Her Name, Her Face, Her Heart
by StarlitDuck
Summary: (Told from Dr. Traum's POV) Dr. Traum is excited to work on his new android project. But when his daughter unexpectedly dies of cancer, he starts to question himself. WARNING: This might get a little depressing. I would appreciate any feedback that you are willing to give.
1. What To Name Her

**Author's Note: Hey everyone, StarlitDuck here. This is the second Pretty Cure fan fiction that I am writing. I just want you all to be aware that while I write for an anime, I don't fully understand all the aspects of Japanese culture. I apologize if I get some details wrong; the last thing I want to do is offend anyone. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this**

**Full Disclaimer: I do not own Pretty Cure or any of the characters.**

Chapter 1 What To Name Her

I leaned over the table intensely as I worked on my new project. I have high hopes for this one. It's supposed to be an android who can think, reason, and feel like a regular human. Everyone I told about the project told me I was crazy. They said it was impossible, that I was aiming too close to the sun. What did I tell them in response?

"Call me crazy all you want. Personally, I take stuff like that as a compliment."

And you know what? That is the honest truth. There is a fine line between genius and insanity. Sometimes, that line is so thin that people can't even tell it's there, and they just assume that the person that they are interacting with is crazy. Well, guess what? If some people are so daft that they can't differentiate between genius and insanity, then I'm not going to waste my time and explain it to them. I'm just going to let them wallow in their ignorance and take the word "crazy" with a pinch of salt.

As I started wiring the connections that would allow my android's face to move, I heard the door to my lab open. I looked behind me and smiled. It was Aimi, my daughter. Well, if we are going to get technical we aren't biologically related. I adopted her when she was a little baby. I've always wanted a child, but the problem was that I never interacted well with women. I'm too shy.

"Hi, Papa," Aimi said. "What are you working on?"

I chuckle. I've told her that I was working on an android before, but she still likes to ask me. I try to be creative with how I answer her every time.

"I am capturing lightning in a bottle," I said, "and putting it into a mechanical human."

Aimi looked confused.

"How do you capture lightning in a bottle?" she asked. "Isn't it just light?"

"It's electricity, sweetie," I said. "It's electric current that travels through the clouds during thunderstorms."

Aimi leaned over the table. She grinned.

"I hear that lightning is hotter than the sun," she said. "It could roast you alive if you get struck."

I nodded and grinned slightly.

"And yet, there are still people who have survived lightning strikes," I said.

Aimi laughed.

"It's a miracle!" she said.

This causes me to laugh too. Truer words have never been spoken. But really, when you think about it, there are many miracles that are in this world. The ozone layer, the fact that the Earth is the perfect distance away from the sun. And that's just scratching the surface. There are a bunch of everyday miracle: finding your keys in time for work, the smile on someone's face when they see you, and the people who are in your life. I can tell you from experience that Aimi is a miracle to me.

"So, what are you going to name your robot?" Aimi asked.

"Okay first off all," I said, "it's not a robot. It's an android."

"There's a difference?" Aimi asked.

"A big one," I said. I've explained this to her before though, so I don't see the point of doing it again. "Secondly, I've only really thought of a surname."

"What is it?" Aimi asked.

I stood up straight and tall and made sure that my chest was puffed out.

"I've considered the name Amour," I said. "It means love in French."

Aimi nodded.

"So you don't have a regular name for her?" she asked.

"You don't think that Amour is a regular name?" I asked. I laughed. "You know, our surname is Traum, so I don't think you are one to talk."

Aimi stuck out her tongue at me.

"I meant a last name for her," she said. Then her face lit up. "I know! How about you call her Ruru?"

"Ruru?" I asked. "Isn't that the name of one of your dolls?"

Aimi's brow furrowed.

"Why would it matter if it is?" she asked.

I chuckled. I know to some it might seem like Aimi and I don't get along. But this is just how we interact with each other. This is one of the ways that only a father and a daughter can interact.

"I didn't say that there was anything wrong with that," I said.

Aimi's brow started to soften.

"No, that's not the name of one of my dolls," she said. "It's just a name that I think is cute."

I thought about it. I'm not sure if I'm going to name my android Ruru. I don't want a name that is "cute;" I want a name that inspires confidence. I want people to be able to hear my creation's name and instantly think "wow, that is a good name." Nevertheless, I didn't want to hurt Aimi's feelings, so I gave her a little smile.

"I'll think about it," I said.


	2. The Relapse

Chapter 2 The Relapse

As I drove to the hospital, I couldn't help but feel a dark, deep sense of dread creep up in my soul. I glanced at the passenger seat, just to make sure that the box of macarons was okay. Aimi absolutely adores macarons. Every year on her birthday, I have them imported from France. I like to joke that she would eat them for every meal if she could.

As expected, nothing happened to the box. It still sat there; purple, shiny, and perfect. I knew that Aimi probably wouldn't be up to eating her treats, but I at least felt like I was doing something important. As much of a genius as I am, my specialty is engineering, not medicine. There is very little that I can do to help out with Aimi's situation.

Aimi developed cancer when she was three, so it's possible that she doesn't remember what it was like. Even if she does, the memories are probably very vague. The last time, we were able to fight it off until she could be declared "cancer free." I put cancer free in quotation marks because if she had been completely cancer free, then she wouldn't be in the hospital right now.

I remembered what the doctors told me when I brought her in this time around. They said the cancer was already at Stage IV. I practically collapsed when I heard that. Stage IV?

"How will Aimi be able to survive that?" I asked.

The doctor looked at me with a sad, somber expression.

"She won't," he said.

That brings my blood to a boil. How could this happen to Aimi? It's already bad enough that she had to go through it before. But now to hear that she is going to die? She isn't even eight years old! How is this fair? How is this right?

I pulled into the hospital parking lot and got the macarons out of the seat. While I walked up to the entrance, I started to brood. The doctors and nurses had told me that they would do their best to make sure Aimi was as comfortable as possible. They told me that they cared deeply for my daughter.

Bull crackers. If they really cared about Aimi, then they would do something to help her fight. They wouldn't just sit back and watch her die, they would do everything in their power to keep her alive! Heck, if the world really cared about cancer patients at all, then they wouldn't sell things that give people cancer in the first place. I bet if the world really gave a darn about any of the sick people in it, then it would have found a cure decades ago!

I sighed. I knew that logically, I was being unreasonable. At this point, there was nothing that the doctors could do to help Aimi. Any treatment that they could give her would just prolong the inevitable. Besides, it would make her miserable. I don't want Aimi's last days on Earth to be drenched in pain and misery.

I checked in at the front desk and went to Aimi's room. While walking down the hallway, I bumped into one of the nurses. She had emerald green hair and sea green eyes. She looked beautiful, especially with how her hair was tied up into a messy bun.

"I am so sorry!" I said.

"No, it's okay," said the nurse. A faint glimmer of recognition sparked in her eyes. "You look familiar. Are you a relative of one of the patients?"

"Yes," I said. "My name is Traum Tatsuya. I am here to see my daughter, Traum Aimi."

"Oh, Aimi," she said. She looked genuinely sad. "I've helped to care for her. Do you want me to take you to her room?"

Even though I already knew where Aimi's room was, I nodded my head yes. As the nurse lead me down the hall, I saw real tears flowing from her eyes. I knew that she didn't feel just plain sympathy for me and Aimi. She felt empathy, possibly compassion. I felt like asking her if she had lost a relative to cancer or was a cancer survivor herself, but I didn't do that. It felt like too personal a topic to discuss among strangers. Really, that's all we were: she was the nurse, I was the father of one of her patients. That's all our relationship would ever be. It's strange. There are so many people that you come across in life, yet you can only call a handful of them by name. There are very few people who I can say that I love. There are very few people who are like Aimi to me.

As I walked into Aimi's room, I felt my breathing become slower, my heart rate nearly stop. There she was, in the bed. She still looked more or less the same, with her fair skin and her lavender hair. Yet, she looked different, weaker. Her skin was pale and chalky, her hair had this greasy appearance to it. She looked like she hadn't been exposed to enough oxygen.

"Aimi, you have a visitor," said the nurse.

Aimi looked up from her coloring book and smiled when she saw me.

"Hi, Papa," she said.

I nearly burst into tears. Even her voice seemed to be fighting a war.

"Hi, honey," I said softly. I showed her the box. "I brought something for you."

Aimi smiled.

"Thank you," she said as she took the box. She took out one of the macarons and nibbled on it a little. I smiled, grateful to see her eating.

"So, how are you?" I asked.

"I'm fine," she said.

"Are the nurses being nice to you?"

"Yeah, they are. That one who walked you in was named Haruka. She is really nice; I think you would like her."

I chuckled. Aimi has always been trying to play matchmaker for me.

"I'm not concerned about meeting women," I said. "Right now, my only concern is you."

Aimi looks a little more serious.

"Papa, I'm scared," she says.

I feel my eyes start to water, but I know I can't cry. If I cry, then Aimi will get dejected as well. I can't let that happen. I need to stay strong for her. I put on a little smile.

"Don't be," I said. "Don't think of it as dying. Think of it as...an adventure."

"An adventure?" Aimi asks confusedly.

"Yeah," I say. "You're going to experience something that nobody on the Earth can say they have experienced. You have no idea what's on the other side of death."

"I always thought it was just eternal darkness on the other side of death," Aimi said.

"That may be true," I replied. "But really, we have no way of knowing. We can develop theories, but nobody can say they know for sure. For all we know, it could be amazing on the other side."

Aimi's eyes grew wide.

"Do you...do you think Heaven is on the other side?" Aimi asks.

I smiled.

"I hope so," I said. "Because if it is, that means I'll be able to join you sometime."

Aimi smiled back. Her smile managed to brighten up her face and make her look almost healthy.

"Hey," I said as I leaned forward, "I've given it some thought, and you know what? I really like the name Ruru."

"Really?" Aimi asked.

"Yes," I responded. "I think it is the perfect name for an android."

Aimi giggled.

"So you're going to name her Amour Ruru?" she asked.

"Actually, I think that I'm going to name her Ruru Amour," I said. "I think it sounds nicer if the surname is put last, like they do in the western countries."

Aimi looked thoughtful.

"Ruru Amour," she said. "I like that. I really, really like that."

"I knew that you would," I said. I leaned forward and gave her a hug. Aimi didn't return it, but I could tell that it made her grateful.

"Well, I need to get going," I said once I let her go. "I have work to do and I don't want to overstay my welcome."

"Okay, Papa," Aimi said. I got out of her bed and walked back toward the car. It wasn't until I was halfway down the road that I burst into tears.


	3. The Funeral

Chapter 3 The Funeral

Three months. That was all the time she had left; three months. She was allowed to come home for the last two weeks, and I managed to show her how I programmed Ruru to speak. She died in her sleep, which I suppose is the most preferable way to go. I can remember holding her lifeless body in my arms the morning after and praying for some kind of miracle. If people can survive lightning strikes, why can't Aimi come back to life? Why does she have to die at such an early age?

I can't eat. I can't sleep. I've tried working on Ruru, but I haven't made any decent progress. Honestly, I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. I have no friends or relatives that I can talk to, and I've already decided a long time ago that I didn't want to see a therapist. What is there to do when you've watched your daughter slowly die right before your eyes for three months?

I sighed thinking about this and checked the calendar. Aimi's funeral was supposed to be today. Part of me didn't want to go. I've managed to keep myself together while she was in the hospital, but I don't think I'll be able to do the same in front of all of Aimi's friends and their families. Right now, all that I want to do is curl up in my bed, go to sleep, and never get up.

I shook my head. I know that I can't do that. One of the best ways to deal with loss is to be surrounded by other people. Besides, I wanted to give a eulogy. I felt like I owed that to Aimi.

So, I got dressed in my best suit and waited. When two thirty rolled around, I got in my car and drove to the church. As expected, the sanctuary was full with about one hundred people. Most of them were little kids who were Aimi's friends and classmates, while others were adults who I assumed were their relatives. I sat down in the front of the sanctuary and waited for the ceremony to start.

To my complete surprise, I managed to keep it together fairly well. I listened to the music, the speeches, everything. I think the reason I did it was because I pretended that it was someone else's funeral. It wasn't until the very end that I started shedding tears, when I was called to the front to give my eulogy.

I took a deep breath and stepped forward. I looked toward the crowd that had gathered and felt my legs turn to jell-o. _I can't do this,_ I thought. _Why did I agree to this?_

Then I remembered how much Aimi meant to me, and I knew I had to suck it up. I stepped in front of the podium and gave a weak smile.

"When people hear the name Traum Aimi," I began, "many things come to mind. Friend, classmate, playmate, confidant. But to me, she is so much more than that."

I dried the tears that were starting to flow and kept going.

"Aimi is my daughter," I said. "Believe me, I never thought I of all people would say that I have a daughter. I have so little game that even my online dating profile is nothing but a four hundred word pity party."

I heard some of the adults in the crowd laugh, which managed to bring my spirits up just a smidgen.

"So, with that information, it is not hard for people to believe that Aimi is my adopted daughter. But the fact that we don't share any blood doesn't matter in the slightest. The relationship we had...no, the relationship we have is just as genuine as the relationship between a real father and daughter. She makes me laugh during hard times, she is my baby who taught me love. She is my everything. And I use the present tense because I know one thing for certain. While people may come and go, the relationship and love that we have for them will never die. That is because I believe with all my heart that love is greater than we know. It is invincible. It is eternal. Because of love, I can look on my memories of Aimi with joy as well as sadness. I want all of you to remember this so that you can feel the same thing."

I walked down from the podium. I know it might be a little short for a eulogy, but I poured my heart into it. The crowd applauded kindly, and the closing music started to play.

I didn't want to stay for the refreshments down in the fellowship hall. I wasn't hungry and besides, I wanted to get home. So, I walked down to my car and saw a man leaning against it. He looked tall and lean, and his blue hair was tied up in a ponytail.

"I assume that you weren't a fan of the ceremony if you aren't staying for the reception," he said.

I felt a little nervous.

"Who are you?" I asked, my voice shaking.

"My name is Listle," said the man. "You are Traum Tatsuya, correct?"

I didn't know were this was going. I gulped and nodded my head.

"Good," Listle said with a slight grin. "You are just the man I wanted to meet."

"Why would you want to meet me?" I asked.

"I work for this company called Criasu," he said. He pulled a business card out of his pocket. "Over the past few months, we have heard that you are working on this new project. It is an android, yes?"

I was about to answer, but Listle spoke up.

"That is very impressive," he said. "Not many people would attempt to construct such an advanced piece of technology. We want you to help us in our mission to stop time."

I felt my heart stop and my blood turn to ice.

"Stop time?" I asked.

"Yes," Listle said. I shook my head rapidly.

"Why would I want to help you do that?" I asked.

Listle chuckled.

"Isn't it a little unfair?" he asked. "How your daughter was taken at such an early age? Doesn't that make you feel resentful in some way?"

I looked down at the ground.

"If you join Criasu," Listle said, "you won't have to worry about that resentment. All the pain and sadness you feel will be gone. Eternally. We can make that happen as long as you build us your android. Does that sound like a deal?"

I stared at the business card in Listle's hand. Should I do it? I know that pain is just a part of life, but wouldn't it be nice if it was all gone? Now that I think about it, if I did this then I would eradicate pain for everyone.

"I'll think about it," I said, and I took the card.


	4. She's Finished

Chapter 4 She's Finished

I sighed in frustration as President Kurai droned on and on. For somebody who is really dedicated to his goal, he sure is a bore to listen to. Except when he is angry. You wouldn't even want your worst enemy to be on the receiving end of his anger.

I stopped listening to his speech when it reached the ten minute mark. He started by saying that he wanted to get rid of the Pretty Cure, specifically Cure Tomorrow. For some reason, he seems to have a real vendetta against Cure Tomorrow. He claims it is just because she is the Pretty Cure's leader, but I have a feeling it is because of some other reason. I'm not one hundred percent sure what it is, but I know it is there. It's like a noise that you can't detect the source of.

I drummed my fingers on the desk and got to thinking. Ruru is finished. She is currently lying in a capsule in the basement, which is where I am allowed to work. The only thing that I need to do now is activate her. I've been anticipating this day since Ruru was just a mere idea, and as a consequence I was having trouble sitting still. If only President Kurai would hurry up and finish his stupid speech!

As if he could read my mind, the president finally wrapped up the business meeting. He told us all to stay dedicated to our task and went off the screen. I breathed a sigh of relief and got up from my desk. Finally, I could interact with Ruru for the first time! I was so excited that I could hardly contain it!

My colleagues also started to get up from their desks and roam around the room. As I was just about to leave, Charaleet and Papple came up to me.

"So old man," said Charaleet, "I heard that your project is finished?"

I grinned.

"Yes, she is," I said. Charaleet chuckled.

"That's great," he said. "That means you can finally get out from under your rock and start helping us with other things!"

I snorted. I don't know if Charaleet is like this to anyone else, but he acts like a real smart aleck around me. Papple gasped.

"Charaleet!" she said. "Don't you know that this android is really important to the company? You should treat Dr. Traum with more respect!"

Charaleet just laughed. No one really takes Papple seriously. She has way too bubbly a personality for a professional setting. There is also a rumor flying around that she is sleeping with the president.

"Well, if you two don't mind," I said, "I need to go activate Ruru."

"Oh, that's what you decided to call her?" Charaleet asked with a little laugh.

I turned and gave him a bit of an evil eye.

"Yes," I said. I turned on my heel and headed down the stairs. My heartbeat grew with each passing moment. I had programmed Ruru to grow and learn. The reason I did that was twofold. First off, I want her to be an intelligent being, just like a human. Secondly, (and I'm embarrassed to admit this) I've run into a wall with how to program her to feel. Emotionally, I mean. How can you program emotions into a machine? How can you give an android an emotional heart? I'll admit, I was stumped. So, I just decided to see if I could program her to have her heart develop. After all, a regular human isn't born with a pre-programmed heart, are they?

I entered through the door and approached the capsule. I looked in through the glass at my android's face. My android's perfect face. Before Aimi's death, I had no idea what Ruru was going to look like. Over the past few months, however, I had decided to model her after Aimi. Sure, she isn't an exact replica. Aimi was only seven, while Ruru appears to be about thirteen. Ruru's hair is also longer and a darker shade of lavender. Nevertheless, I still think she looks beautiful. She greatly resembles Aimi in the eyes and face.

I pushed a button and the capsule opened up. Ruru's eyes opened and she slowly sat up. When she saw me, she smiled. I smiled back, grateful that I was able to make her facial transitions so seamless.

"Ruru Amour," I said. "My name is Dr. Traum Tatsuya. I am the one who is responsible for your construction and your programming."

The smile fell from Ruru's face. That was when I noticed something was off. While her face still looked pretty accurate to a human's, it also had a stony, mask-like quality to it. Her eyes didn't have the same life that real eyes do either.

"Dr. Traum," she said quietly, stoically.

I felt a little disappointed, but of course I knew I had no reason to be. I hadn't programmed Ruru to feel emotions yet. I made sure to smile even wider.

"You may refer to me without an honorific," I said. "In fact, you may call me whatever you want. You can call me Dr. Traum, Master, or even Papa."

Ruru blinked.

"I shall refer to you as Master," she said.

I stifled a sigh. I would have prefered to have her call me Papa, but I guess I can tolerate being called Master.

"You have one primary goal," I said. "We work for a company called Criasu, and their mission is to stop time. You are going to adhere to that. No matter what gets in your way, whether it be your superiors or the Pretty Cure, you are going to stick to that plan. Do you understand?"

Ruru stared at me. Then she nodded.

"I am programmed to do what you say, master," she said. "If your desire is for me to aid the company in the mission to stop time, then I will do just that."

I nodded in reply.

"Very good," I said. I beamed. "Welcome to the world, Ruru chan!"

I approached Ruru and embraced her in a hug. She felt cold, even though my skin was completely covered.

"What is this?" she asked. "This gesture is not a part of my programming."

I let her go.

"It's called a hug, Ruru," I said. "It's an expression of love."

"Love?" Ruru asked. "What is love?"

"It's..it's a feeling," I said. "It's a special feeling that is felt in the heart."

Ruru stared at me for a while.

"That does not compute," she said at last.

I sighed. It looks like I have a lot of work to do.


	5. Failure

Chapter 5 Failure

I stormed out of the room. I felt ready to punch a wall. Ruru and I had just had a fight. Actually, I'm not sure if "fight" is the right word to use. Can you call it a fight if the other person wasn't emotionally invested in it? Can you call it a fight if the other person isn't even a person?

I leaned against the wall, covered my face with my hands, and started to think. I don't know what I am doing anymore. Ruru...I guess part of me expected that this project would be easier than it actually is. I wasn't prepared for the sheer frustration of it all. I want Ruru to feel! I want her to experience emotion!

I sighed. Maybe it was my fault. I shouldn't have programmed Ruru to be so robotic. If I could, I would want to make it so that she has no programming. I would want to make it so that she is free to make her own choices, free to be her own person. But alas, I can't do that. I don't know how. I mean, I can delete her data and reprogram her, but making it so that she is more or less a human would be nearly impossible. That's a conclusion that I have reached while observing her.

"Master?"

I glanced at the doorway and saw Ruru. Her lavender hair was now tied up, and she was wearing a black and purple dress with a black cape and long black boots. Her eyes still looked as lifeless as before.

"Are you alright, Master?" she asked.

I didn't respond. I have trouble looking at Ruru. Not only is it frustrating, but her resemblance to Aimi is just too great. Everytime I look her in the eyes, it hurts.

"Did I do something to offend you?" Ruru asked.

I sighed and forced myself to look Ruru in the eye.

"No, you didn't do anything," I said. "I just...I just...I don't know."

"Why did repeat the phrase 'I just?'" Ruru asked. "That does not compute."

I felt anger boiling up.

"You always say that," I said quietly. "That seems to be your catchphrase. Didn't I program you to grow and learn? Because whenever you say that, you essentially say that you don't want to learn. You are fine with the topic not computing."

There was a moment of silence. Ruru stared at me with the same blank expression she always wore.

"Master," she said, "you're angry with me, aren't you?"

"No," I said after a while. "I'm not angry at you, Ruru chan. I'm angry at myself. I wanted you to be so much more than you are."

"So you have expectations," she said. "If I don't meet those expectations, doesn't that give you incentive to be mad at me?"

I didn't know how to answer that. What Ruru was misconstruing were the emotions anger and disappointment. But the reason I didn't feel either toward her specifically was because I knew that, logically, my expectations were unreasonable. I wanted her to have an emotional heart, and a good one at that. I know now that trying to give that to an android is a little bit of a long shot. But there is also something more.

"Ruru," I said, "you don't know this, but I modeled you after my daughter."

"Your daughter?" she asked.

"Yes," I said. "Her name is Aimi. She...died about a year ago of cancer. She was the one who decided to name you Ruru."

I thought I saw a little glimmer of sympathy in Ruru's eyes. Then again, that might just be my imagination.

"How old was she?" she asked.

"She was only seven," I replied. I could feel tears welling up in my eyes.

"Do you feel sad thinking about her?" Ruru asked.

"Of course," I said. "I love her."

Ruru approaches me, her mouth in a line.

"You keep using that word," she says. "You say that it is a feeling, right?"

I chuckle.

"Oh, it is so much more than that," I said. "It could take me a whole essay to explain to you what love is. There are some aspects of it that I don't understand." I glanced at her. "I suppose that you're still going to say that does not compute, right?"

Ruru's expression didn't change as she opened her mouth to answer.

"I'm sorry," she said, "but I'm afraid that I don't understand it at all."

I sighed and took a remote control out of my pocket. I had made it as a last resort, in case I would need to shut Ruru down. When I pressed the button, Ruru's pupils disappeared and her jaw went slack.

"System shutting down…" she said. Just like that, she collapsed to the floor. I stared at her for a little bit. I felt bad for doing it, but I knew that I needed to delete her data and reprogram her. She is too mechanical. I know that I can't remedy that completely, but I can do what I can.

"If only you understood," I said. "Then you would know how much I love you."


	6. Cure Amour

Chapter 6 Cure Amour

I was shocked when I heard that Ruru joined the Pretty Cure's side. Actually, I think shocked would be a bit of an understatement. I...I…(chuckle). I was flabbergasted. Out of all the employees I would have expected to betray Criasu eventually, I certainly did not expect it to be Ruru. Part of me thought it would have been me to do it at some point!

I didn't know what to do with myself after I heard about it. I knew she hadn't been perfect, but she was my android. No, more than that. She was my baby. How could I get over the fact that my baby had betrayed the organization that I had worked with for almost three years? Long story short, I couldn't.

After Ruru left, I dedicated all my time and energy into fighting the Pretty Cure, which Ruru had become a member of. She called herself Cure Amour. The fights were...interesting, awkward. Truth be told, part of me was hesitant to take it all out on the team now that Ruru was a member. But at the same time, I was angry. Ruru looked so happy with the cures. Her face looked more lively, her eyes shined. How was that possible? I spent the better part of three years trying to find out how to correctly program Ruru. The Pretty Cure consisted of four teenage girls! How could they do it while I couldn't? What was so special about them?

I often pondered this question while I lay in bed at night, unable to find an answer to it. Was it just because they had magical powers? Was it because they provided Ruru with new experiences? I figured the most likely reason was the latter. Ruru didn't have a lot of opportunities to experience the world when she was stuck in Criasu's basement.

But at the same time, it still didn't make sense. Didn't I do my best to nurture her? Didn't I provide her with a home, a family? Why couldn't she develop her heart while she was with me?

The fact that I didn't have the answers to these questions bugged me. It made me bitter to some degree and messed with my head. I still loved Ruru; there was nothing in the world that would take my love for her away. But I just didn't understand. I didn't understand her, I didn't understand any of the Pretty Cure. I was left in the dark.

It wasn't until I was purified, that I was taken back to the moment that I saw Ruru for the first time, that I finally understood. I had wanted Ruru to be a replacement for Aimi. On some level, I understood that. What I didn't realize, however, was that this was creating a major problem in our relationship. How could I expect her to understand love when I wasn't giving her the love that she needed? How can I expect her to develop emotions properly when I can't even look her in the eye?

How could I be so blind? It should have been clear to me from the very beginning. Ruru will never be Aimi. But just because she isn't doesn't mean I should love her any less.

As soon as it occurred to me, I sought out Ruru. She was not pleased to see me. In fact, she stormed out of the room when I arrived. Her friends were worried that she would have a system error, so they tried to find her. I started to grow worried myself. Had I really screwed up that badly? It seemed there was a lot of work in store for me if I wanted to repair this relationship.

We had a talk after she was found. I said to her I was sorry and I explained to her what happened before I deleted her data. By the time I was done talking, I saw something in Ruru's face that I had never seen at Criasu. Emotion. Awe. Amazement. She looked like she was going to say something important.

And then, just before I left, she asked me if I wanted to have a meal with her.

I was overjoyed! I swear, I wanted to break down crying! I don't think I have been that happy since I started working on Ruru!

Our relationship is still going relatively strong nowadays. She still refuses to call me Papa, but I can live with that. Right now, she is fighting Criasu as Cure Amour, and I have decided to help the Pretty Cure on their mission. I am also working on a way that will allow us to go back to the future. I hope it goes well.

**Well, there you have it! I'm sorry if this was a little bit darker than usual. As always, thank you to all of you for reading, and special shoutouts to TheGhostlyRobot and CureMiraculous for favoriting and CureMiraculous for following. Please leave a review if you haven't already and see you next time!**


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